Eleven men who were detained in Germany on Friday and Saturday on suspicion of planning major attacks with stockpiled weapons were released on Saturday after no evidence of a cache of weapons or explosives was found.
German media reports say the men, aged between 22 and 35, most of whom are Tajikistan nationals, were detained during raids conducted by police commandos in western and southern Germany on suspicion that they were supporters of the Islamic State (IS) terror group planning a “serious, state-endangering crime.”
Citing a spokesman for prosecutors in Dusseldorf, the dpa news agency, in particular, noted that the suspects were taken into custody on Friday and Saturday in the cites of Essen, Dusseldorf, Wuppertal, Monchengladbach, Duisburg and Ulm.
The men were released after investigators’ suspicions proved unfounded.
Deutsche Welle says German police conducted a series of raids throughout western Germany on Friday and Saturday as part of an anti-terrorism operation. Eleven male suspects aged between 22 and 35, mostly Tajikistan nationals, were detained as part of the operation, according to Deutsche Welle.
At least six of the suspects are being investigated on suspicion of planning a “threatening act of violence against the state.” Police suspect the six of being affiliated with the "Islamic State" (IS) extremist group.
Police were looking for weapons and explosives. When none were found, the 11 suspects were released.
Deutsche Welle says the raids were launched after a 19-year-old Tajik man drove a car at excessive speed through a pedestrian zone in Essen. The man, an Essen resident, was stopped and arrested. Police are investigating the vehicle, which authorities said was an Opel Astra compact car. Prosecutors added they have yet to find a connection between the incident in Essen and the raids.
